


Queen of Lemnos

by Fabrisse



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-21
Updated: 2012-12-21
Packaged: 2017-11-21 23:19:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/603160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fabrisse/pseuds/Fabrisse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look at the society of Lemnos on the brink of a major change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Queen of Lemnos

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AriadnesThread](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriadnesThread/gifts).



> Gileswench betaed, as she did all my Yuletide 2012 stories.

There’s a ship on our horizon. Gawkers. Men who want to know how we can live without them. Men who think us unnatural. The sails are wrong to be traders, and they’re the wrong color for one of our ships.

Not every woman here is a warrior. Not every woman here was born to this life. We take them in, the women cast out of their cities, the ones who run to us because they cannot bear their arranged marriage, the children set adrift in the ocean who survive the currents that bring them here. Boy children are brought up among us, and sent to the men’s island at five. The girls stay until they are ready to find a place with us, or to go out and find a different life. No one is forced to stay, but once the responsibility is accepted, every woman is expected to do her part.

Most of us drill with javelin, with bow and arrow, with librys and shield. Most of us run and wrestle and ride to train our bodies. Some are too old, and we let them earn their keep with needlework or household chores or looking after the children. Some are too young, and they are taught to read and cipher, to think for themselves and slowly their bodies are brought into discipline as well as their minds. The girls who choose to leave us when they reach their majority, are intelligent; the children they rear will be good citizens of whatever city they are borne into.

All who remain here will know how to defend this island, our civilization. Those of us who earn glory or money through fighting help protect our land by making legends. Few dare come to an island where _every_ woman is believed to be a warrior. 

And how many of the men I’ve fought beside have asked me if I tend to the way of Sappho and her poetry? Some of my sisters do. Many of us live with partners, younger or older, for companionship and warmth. No men live among us, but we choose whether we breed, we choose with whom, and our daughters are blessed by Ares and Artemis (and occasionally her brother).

Our lives are full. 

***  
They weren’t gawkers, the ones on the ship. Theseus, who was on his way to his home in Athens, stopped by Lemnos.

The guardians at our docks sent back word. Those of us who prefer not to see men, who need to feel safe from their predations, were warned, and our guest houses for dignitaries are far from our main town. Guards were doubled for the night, though our honored guests didn’t need to know that.

We ate together, a feast of grilled fish and roasted goat with all the accoutrements we could spare from our stores. Afterward, small honey cakes and dried fruit were served with sweet wine, and as the stars shone over us we heard the stories of our guests. Theseus was picked to be part of the spoils sent to Crete and fed to the Minotaur, and his story teller spun out his deeds from finding his father’s shoes and helmet, to his defeat of the monster at the heart of the labyrinth.

Theseus himself withdrew from the conversation, listening to the story being told without comment, either in words or on his face. I wondered at him. He was handsome enough, but did he understand how horribly he treated Ariadne in her own house?

At the end of the meal, my quartermaster came to me and said the guests were offering to pay for revictualing their ship. We agreed to meet in the morning, to review our stores and what we could spare until our ships returned. I asked our advisors to come as well. It might be the ships had things we needed, objects of good barter, which would be better for us than gold.

***  
The next night’s feast began with olives and small vegetables pickled in salt or vinegar. It was the night for our legends to be shared with the guests, our music and poetry. We burned incense to Clio for our history, Calliope for her epic poetry, and to Euterpe for her flute. We told the true story of Heracles and my girdle. Most of my sisters resisted Hera’s ruse, and few of us died (though those who were killed were mourned. Hera is not worshipped here.). I am still among the living, caring for my sisters, and helping us to better our lives.

The final day of our guests’ stay, we arranged riding contests and trials of war skills. No one bested us on horseback. We are excellent horsewomen. The men often won the wrestling, but we were nearly evenly matched on javelin (our guests won) and archery (we prevailed). 

That evening, Theseus’ crew prepared a feast of shellfish soup near the docks. There was dancing and singing. Some of my sisters had formed brief alliances with the men from the ship. We would have a fine crop of daughters next spring.

Theseus took me aside, and we held our only private conversation. He needed a queen. He wanted a woman who was his equal. He wanted a woman who understood the needs of a people and who could rule in his absence. He wanted me. He told me he saw me as a woman in the mold of the goddess Athena -- she who understands strategy and war, but guides her people in philosophy and art.

We are all free to leave at any time. But once we have accepted the responsibilities of our society, we should adhere to them.

Theseus was handsome. Theseus was powerful. Theseus was clever.

But.

Theseus betrayed Ariadne.

Could I know if he would treat me better? Could I leave my sisters?

My sister Antiope would be a good queen. I am not indispensable; I could always be killed in battle.

I asked my suitor one question, “Can women vote in your Athenian democracy?”

He told me, “No.”

There were other words -- romantic words, assurances that I would be allowed to fight beside him in battle, hints at the Eleusinian mysteries and the role the queen of Athens might play in them.

I thought of Artemis and Ares. I thought of Aphrodite. I thought of Dionysus.

We walked back to the feast together, his question still unanswered.

I said, “Hear all! Theseus has asked for my consent to be his consort -- his full consort.” I turned to Theseus, and he nodded, once, gravely at my words. “I asked Artemis and Ares to guide my path. They have told me we must take up blunted arms against each other. The first to topple the other, to hold a sword to the other's throat will have won the contest. Should Theseus win, I will go with him gladly to Athens. Should I win, he and his crew will depart on the morrow without me and with no ill-will between our peoples.” 

Again, I turned to Theseus. He said, “I bind myself to this contest and those under my command, including the crew of my vessel, are to be bound to its outcome.”

Everyone went quiet. We each inspected both practice swords and both wooden shields to make certain there were no chances for treachery. 

My fate lies in the lap of the gods.


End file.
